This is something I've always been curious about. So many on this site throw around their criticisms so capriciously, with so little respect for how tough a game this is and what amazing athletes these guys are, I just wonder how many of you actually played the game, and at what level.
I played high school football until after my junior year. I had my appendix taken out and during winter training I was afraid to get hit. Sad, but true.
I respectfully decline to vote in this poll on the basis that it assumes facts from the results that are more than just a little debatable. ... ie. In order to have a valid opinion you must have played at some level. A better poll would be "Do you have to have played at a high level (college or above) to have a valid opinion as to what is right or wrong about a NFL team?"
I started this thread coming out of the "trade Vilma for a 2 & 5" (my comment is near the end of page 4 on that one). I played one year of semi-pro left tackle. I played every down on an undefeated team and was heralded as being great. The thing is though, I was beat by my man way more than I want to admit BUT I had a GREAT FB behind me who constantly picked up the guy who beat me and a smart QB who got rid of the ball REALLY quickly. I never gave up a sack, but that was because of OTHER guys doing their job, NOT because I was all that good.
I don't care if people stereotype what I say or what someone else says because of what level I played at. True, the percentage of ignorant fans is probably a little higher among people who have never played, but i know kids who played in high school and college, and I know more about football than they ever could.
I played WR at Marist in the 80s, which was D-III. My whole life I played hoops, still do, but Marist had a D-I hoops team with Rik Smits. So football was a walk-on deal and I did that. It was alright, I was mostly special teams as we didn't throw the ball much. I was fast but 165 lbs, so not much of a blocker.
I get your point JP, and agree with you that it is debatable. I'm really not trying to invalidate anyone's opinion because they didn't play the game--that would be counter to the purpose of this site! This is something I've just always been curious about. I remember talk in the past that there were a couple of ex-pros who posted, etc. Some posters seem to express their opinions in a way that suggests a respect and empathy for players and how difficult it is to play the game. While others are fast to cast judgement on everyone as if playing at the pro level is easy and everyone should be great every play, every game.
Forget high school and college, Shannon Sharpe and Michael Irvin were all pros in the NFL and I value their opinions less then alot of posters on this board.
I understand. Personally, when I complain about how Bad Chad is I sometimes don't mention how hard it is to replace him; or, that it is a failure of meshing with the rest of the team. So, it comes across as a Bad Player thing more than is justified. I have also tried to say too much at once and it looked like I was "trashing" a great poster. I think that if you're posting you should take a lot of the stuff with a grain of thought and try a little to get to what the idea is.. if any.
Missed the first tryouts freshman year because my parents had planned some summer vacation, and I never made the effort to play again. I was too far behind, plus nothing special athletically, so the coaches didn't really care if I played or not...
This reminds me of the of the "Best New Year's Eve" thread in the BS forum. I'm not suggesting that you're (half)bragging because you did a good job in your post of anticipating this kind of response. But I agree with Pulse that all this type of post does is foster stereotyping. Even if you have the mindset not to let the results cloud your judgment, there are far too many posters who will. Anyway, my response was Pro - I currenlty play RB for the San Diego Chargers LT
i never played but are you saying that US paying fans aren't allowed to criticize a player for not doing his job? And aren't most them getting paid millions because of US? oh but i never played so i better shut up.
High School.... wish i knew as much about football now (soph in college) as i do then.....but even so, my knowledge of the game was by far my best attribute ever since my 2nd year of playing pop-warner....credit my dad for that I still love playing pickup tackle games and play in a pretty competetive flag football league in the fall at my school....
